What Does Private Dentistry Offer That The NHS Can’t?

‘Going private’ is an option that gives you a wider range of choices

For many years now, we have grown up knowing that we could see a dentist on the NHS to help us maintain a healthy set of teeth. This is still the case, though, as we are sure many of our patients have noticed from the news, this is not the straightforward option that it once was. The NHS is under pressure at the moment and NHS dentistry is not spared from this.

If you currently depend on the NHS for your dental treatment, you might be very frustrated by your inability to get an appointment. We know that people are often very loyal to the NHS, and rightly so. It has certainly improved the nation’s health over the years. Times do change though and there are now many treatment options that are not provided by the NHS. In many cases, these are cosmetic treatments designed to improve your smile, but there are practical ones too which you can only have at private practices such as Alexandra Dental Care.

Quality of care

There is a common perception that you will receive better treatment if you go to a private dentist. That is not entirely fair as any dentist, whether NHS or privately, will do their best to ensure that you receive the most appropriate treatment safely and effectively. What our Burton and Ashby patients will find though is that when they attend a private dental practice, their options become much wider.

A simple example of this is if you need a filling. An NHS dentist will fill this with amalgam. This is a strong material but it is very dark in colour and can be very visible and spoil your smile. Private dentists, on the other hand, can offer a filling that is blended to match the colour of your own natural tooth, rendering the filling almost invisible.

An even more significant improvement in options is when you lose a tooth, or a number of teeth. Dentures, and sometimes a bridge, are the only options available on the NHS. Private dentists can offer dental implants which are now widely accepted to be a superior tooth replacement option as they replace the tooth root as well as the crown part. Unfortunately, as NHS budgets are limited, they are able only to offer the most essential services and it is left to the private sector to help those who wish to have more options.

Cosmetic dentistry

One of the reasons that people turn to cosmetic dentists is to receive cosmetic treatments that will aesthetically improve the appearance of their teeth. These options will almost certainly never be available on the NHS. Although dental implants can be available on the NHS, this is not the case for simple tooth replacement and is only used on very rare occasions; an example might be where dentures can’t be used due to facial damage from an accident or from cancer.

The main treatments that people use to improve their smile is the ever popular teeth whitening procedure, white dental fillings, porcelain veneers and orthodontics. This latter treatment is available on the NHS but private dental care allows you to have this treatment using modern ‘invisible’ orthodontics. These are often removable for when you eat and are also very discreet. This is important for a lot of people as they often have to be worn for a longish period of time, depending on your situation.

Payment

Naturally, one thing that people are concerned about is the cost. There is little doubt that it can be more expensive to go private but the advantages are significant. Our Burton and Ashby patients  will be pleased to know that we offer a variety of payment plans to help you spread the cost of any treatment that you have. We are always happy to discuss these with you.

If you would like to discover the range of treatments that we have available at Alexandra Dental Care or would like to discuss a dental issue, whether general or cosmetic, please give us a call and speak to a member of our friendly team on 01283 216347.

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